Menagerie: W/S 2023

SEASON MAGAZINE

W/S 2023 • VOL. 5 ISSUE 2

Georgia Manges EDITORIAL

EDITOR IN CHIEF

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Director of Marketing :

Nanette Zhang

Director of Communications :

Shilpi Jena

PR

Nicole Hurd

Vy Nguyen

Isabelle Wu

PODCAST

Mira Carlson

Myah Garza

Alanna Herrey

Ava Odden

SOCIAL MEDIA

Kylie Chan

Luke Hamilton

Natalie Long

Quinn Smith

Website Manager :

Thaja Thangjam

MERCH & STYLING

Director : Sofia Goldstein

Nicole Blevins

Keon Clardy

Aarya Dev

Bridget Faul

Mia Galante

Myah Garza

Ava Haberman

Kate Kainz

Lainee Kirk

Eliza McCord

Dylan Meyers

Natalie Scholz

Jake Spiegel

Erin Stafford

Max Robles

Nidhee Patel

PHOTOGRAPHY

Director : Klaire Rasche

Director : Neely Branham

Alisha Ahmed

Aanjaneya Bagri

Carmen Cancila

Katie Kinsella

Natalia Kwak

Elizabeth Lopez-Ruiz

Ava Mikola

Sophia Newman

Jillian Pullen

Julia Rusyniak

Caitlyn Soegiantoro

Taylor Stine

Grace Suiaung

Calvin Sung

Caroline Vegter

Camryn Zapinski

CREATIVE DESIGN

Director : Olivia Childress

LAYOUT DESIGN

Mira Carlson

Mohena Gupta

Lydia Norton

Audrey Osburn

Liona Russell

Ellie Woytek

VIDEO

Sidney Robinson

PHOTO BTS

Alison Irace

Emma Potter

Kristin Romano

Caterina Desantis

Sophie McSherry

Melanie Roberts

Jannica Seraypheap

Nitya Shah

SOCIAL MEDIA DESIGN

Victoria Freitas

Clare Keller

cover photo by Lydia Norton

special thanks to Eskenazi

Museum of Art, White Rabbit

Print & Design

Once again, we’ve made it to the end of the semester and the SEASON members and I are reflecting on what we have experienced, uncovered, and learned. After a season of Winter—hibernation, inwardness, and reflection—now we move into Spring—a season of blooming, coming out of the dark, and showing up as who we’ve become. We’ve spent time in retrospection and now, we choose the parts of ourselves we want to put on display. Whether through art music, or clothing, we decide how we represent ourselves. I can’t help but consider the significance of this process in relationship to the work we have done with the magazine. The energy of starting 2023 led us into the production of this semester’s issue. And much like the slow burn of Winter, we began the process of creating a new edition of SEASON magazine. Slow, steady, persistent. We came together in January with new ideas and visions; it wasn’t until Spring emerged that we were able to see these ideas come to fruition and witness the emergence of a fresh theme. We had to experience the Winter of inwardness and preparation to see the final product. As the semester progressed and we navigated the huge project that is the creation of a magazine, we saw our visions come to life. Winter turn to Spring. Our

tangled ball of ideas unravelling into different photoshoots and editorial pieces. What the members of SEASON and I recognized through this process was that everything we do, say, and create, is art. We ourselves are art, as we make art. Simultaneously, we live within art—a colelction of people on display, surrounded by diversity and working together as we emanate and celebrate our differences. What we’ve created in our photoshoots this semester is a visual, whimsical representation of our lives and selves constantly on exhibit, whether pretty and neat, or messy and eclectic. As we age and grow, we must negotiate the parts of ourselves that we want to share with others. For the SEASON team and me, this process of discovery and representation mirrored the visual change of seasons and the art that came out of them. This is our Spring magazine, a menagerie of people and things on display for you. We hope you enjoy the experience!

STYLED WITH THE BEAT

PREACHER’S

DAUGHTER

photographed by Liona Russell story by Myah Garza

A CANVAS FOR CREATIVITY

photographed by Audrey Osburn story by Jake Spiegel interviews by Keon Clardy

photographed by Ellie Woytek story by Max Robles

WHEN ALL EYES ARE WATCHING

HELL HATH NO FURRY

FEMININE MYSTIQUE

BEHIND THE

ON FILM

photographed by Lydia Norton

story by Dylan Meyers

photographed by Mira Carlson

story by Kate Kainz, Eliza McCord

photographed by Mohena Gupta

story by Lainee Kirk

SCENES

photographed by Klaire Rasche

A CANVAS FOR CREATIVITY: THE EVOLVING OF ART AND

EVOLVING INTERSECTION

FASHION

The intersection of fashion and art is a captivating and multifaceted realm, within which the boundaries between creativity and functionality blur into one.

he Oxford English Dictionary defines art as the “expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” The intersection of fashion and art is a captivating and multifaceted realm, within which the boundaries between creativity and functionality blur into one. It is a space where designers and artists can experiment, collaborate, and push the limits of what is possible, all in the name of creating something that is truly unique and visually arresting. Like any form of creative expression, fashion has the power to inspire, provoke, and challenge our perceptions of the world around us. It is also a means of self-expression, as the clothing we wear serves as a method of communicating our identities and individuality.

While fashion is undoubtedly an art form in its own right, it is also a canvas upon which artists can showcase their work in new and exciting ways. Collaborations between fashion designers and artists have resulted in some of the most striking and memorable collections of all time. This is seen in early examples, such as Salvador Dalí’s Lobster Dress for Elsa Schiaparelli’s 1937 collection. More recently, we’ve seen this through the work of high fashion houses, like Louis Vuitton and artist Takashi Murakami’s 12-year

partnership beginning in 2003. It is easy to dismiss the collaborative effort between artist and brand as a simple way to allow artists to create and exhibit their work on a greater scale. However, the surge of artist-designer partnerships may also be seen as a reflection of a more sweeping trend in the domains of art and fashion themselves, where the lines that separate the two worlds are growing thinner and thinner. Designers are being celebrated as artists in their own right, while artists are exploring the world of design with increasing frequency. For instance, artist Sterling Ruby, a longtime collaborator of designer Raf Simons, launched his own utilitarian clothing line in 2020, conceding little distinction between his artwork and his garments.

Many people point to pop art for the origins of the intersection between fashion and art. Pop art is a 1950s-1960s movement characterized by its use of bright colors, bold lines, graphic imagery, and everyday objects for art subjects, such as Campbell’s soup cans. The movement was a response to the commercialization of art and the consumer culture of the time, and it sought to blur the boundaries between high and low culture.

In the world of fashion, pop art had a significant impact on designers interested in exploring the relationship between fashion and popular culture. One of the most famous examples of pop art in

By Jake Spiegel

fashion is artist Andy Warhol’s 1970s collaboration with fashion designer Roy Halston Frowick, in which a series of dresses were adorned with Warhol’s iconic silk screened images. Pop art also influenced designer Paco Rabanne, who used unconventional materials, such as metal and plastic, to create clothing inspired by pop art aesthetics. Rabanne’s designs were often described as “wearable sculptures,” and they challenged traditional notions of what clothing should look like. Pop art continued to influence the world of fashion through the 1980s, with designers like JeanPaul Gaultier and Vivienne Westwood incorporating prints and graphics inspired by pop art into their designs. The use of bold colors, graphic imagery, and playful motifs became synonymous with the fashion of the time, and pop art-inspired clothing could be found on runways around the world.

Overall, pop art has had a significant impact on the intersection of fashion and art, through its inspiring designers to push the boundaries of possibility in clothing design, explore the relationship between fashion and popular culture, and further blur the boundaries between high and low class. Its influence can be seen in the work of many contemporary fashion designers, as it continues to be an important source of inspiration for those interested in exploring the intersection of fashion and art.

photographed by Audrey Osburn head stylists Carmen Cancila, Julia Rusyniak styled by Jillian Pullen, Taylor Stine modeled by Anu Prasad, Taylor Stine

body paint by Zoey McLeod

patchwork outfit by Anna Thomas layout by Caterina DeSantis, Melanie Roberts

The avant-garde is another particularly influential movement within the intersection of fashion and art. “Avant-garde” refers to artists and designers who push boundaries and challenge conventions, often by creating works that are nontraditional and experimental. Avantgarde fashion designers use unconventional materials, shapes, and textures to create unique garments that question conventional notions of beauty and functionality. Rei Kawakubo is one of the most influential avant-garde fashion designers of our time, known for founding Japanese fashion label Comme des Garçons. Her unique style has profoundly impacted the intersection of art and

fashion, challenging traditional notions of beauty and function and paving the way for a new era of experimental fashion. Before launching Comme des Garçons in 1969, Kawakubo studied art and aesthetics at Keio University in Tokyo. Her interest in art is reflected in her designs, which often blur the lines between fashion and sculpture with unconventional shapes, textures, and materials. Coming full circle is nothing new for Kawakubo. Her work is celebrated throughout the art world, as exhibitions of her designs are held at major museums around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. With its focus on pushing boundaries,

challenging conventions, and exploring new forms of expression, the avant-garde has inspired countless designers to create pieces that are truly one-of-a-kind, defying the status quo and questioning the very nature of what constitutes “fashion.”

Overall, the intersection of art and fashion is a vibrant, evolving, and endlessly fascinating space that continues to inspire new forms of creative expression. Whether through collaborations between designers and artists, the incorporation of art into clothing, or the exploration of new forms of avant-garde fashion, this intersection is sure to continue captivating us for many years to come.

FASHION IS

FASHION IS A CANVAS A CANVAS

HOW IS EXPRESSION EVOLVING WITH FASHION NOW?

Fast fashion is something that I’m not a fan of, but I think fashion is becoming a lot more available in such a wide range of varieties. Fast fashion brands are cheap, so everybody gets their thousands of styles added every day. I think everybody is able to express themselves a lot more because they have more access to what they feel inside or how they want to express themselves. Online shopping provides such a wide range of styles and aesthetics that haven’t always been available. There’s just much more availability. People are able to really express themselves now, because they’re not confined to whatever they can find for an affordable price.

WHEN DO YOU THINK FASHION SHOULD START LEANING TOWARDS PRACTICALITY, OR IS THERE ALWAYS ROOM FOR SIMPLY THE ARTISTIC RUNWAY EXPRESSION?

I think there’s room for both. Fashion really has leaned towards practicality lately, because we’re seeing things like cargo pants and athleisure. As a designer myself, I’m a lover of artistic fashion that isn’t practical but just beautiful to look at. I definitely think there’s room for both wear, but they’re just going to be in different settings. The practicality of fashion is going to be in everyday people’s lives, but the artistic, avant-garde, beautiful, creative pieces will be available for a select few.

DO YOU SEE HIGH FASHION EVER BECOMING MORE DIGESTIBLE TOWARDS THE GENERAL PUBLIC?

Maybe. The garment construction for that type of fashion takes so much work, time, and money. I would like to say yes, but I honestly don’t see how some of those things could ethically be produced in an affordable way.

Interviews

by Keon Clardy

“I’m a lover of artistic fashion that isn’t practical but just beautiful to look at”

JUDE MANBECK

DO YOU SEE ANY FASHION TRENDS THAT HAVE AGENCY OVER THE DIRECTION THAT THE ART WORLD IS MOVING IN?

I really like how people are just looking at them. I’ve noticed a lot of people looking at individual items, trends, fits, and materials, and just finding a way to make them all work together. And then they wear these really interesting outfits. It’s so interesting because the comments are like, “This looks horrible,” but for some reason I’m really entertained by it. I think that that’s really fun.

IN YOUR OPINION, ARE ART AND FASHION INTERCHANGEABLE? WHY?

I think that fashion is a subsection of art. I think it’s just another medium. I believe a lot of things that are innately human can be made into art as a way of expressing yourself. I think that it ties into fashion as well, because your fashion represents your physical experience in the world and how you can express yourself to other people. It’s all really connected.

WHAT INSPIRATION DO YOU TAKE FOR YOUR WORK RIGHT NOW?

Right now, I’ve been looking at interactive prints from the Renaissance and Reformation periods. They’re really, really cool. They encapsulate what I love about printmaking, because I look at these pieces of art as objects rather than flat two-dimensional paintings on a wall. These interactive prints have folding parts and things that span all connected to the one print. There are these examples of scientific illustrations that were then turned into flat prints. They’re bodies, and then as you peel back the paper, you can see organs and things like that because they were used as a way to help medical students learn. They’ve definitely been shaping how I view making work, my process, and how I think about the work that I’m making.

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FASHION AS AN ARTIST?

The first thing that comes to mind is that the shapes of the parts and vessels that I make are very reminiscent of human bodies. Everything has body parts, like a foot and belly and shoulders and lip. So there’s always a figural connection between my work and our bodies. I often think of the surface decoration I put on almost like clothes, because it’s how I continue to express something through the form that I’m making. When I make something, it’s fun to think of the process like it’s a way to give the parts little outfits.

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE RELATIONSHIP OF EXPRESSIVITY WITHIN ART?

I think all art is about being able to create a visual field of our internal worlds inside of ourselves. I think being able to have the immediacy of it on your body helps people become more comfortable with themselves and safer inside their bodies. Having that reflection of internal and external can make someone feel more like themselves.

WHAT’S SOMETHING ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ART AND FASHION THAT YOU THINK THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW?

I feel like a lot of older people don’t understand the concept of a lot of trends and why people would want to be more expressive in that way. I guess just looking at fashion as the allowance to show someone’s internal self as a reflection, like if people could look at someone and see how they dress and maybe think about it more than “I like that” or “I don’t like that.” Maybe just looking at someone and allowing there to be more of a train of analysis, rather than an immediate reaction of how you feel about it. Just seeing someone for who they are and what their clothing could mean about them, rather than just how you feel about it. We all have really different tastes and I think that’s an awesome thing. Being able to look at something and allow yourself to get into the mindset of “I see why that person would like it”, instead of “I don’t think I would like that”. Just being able to step into someone else’s shoes and see why they would feel comfortable and why that would help them feel better about themselves would be a good insight into who they are.

to show someone’s internal self as a reflection”

STYLED WITH BEAT

STYLED WITH THE BEAT

THE VARYING PERSPECTIVES OF AN AUDIENCE

photographed by Ellie Woytek head stylists Neely Branham, Ava Mikola

styled by Elizabeth Lopez-Ruiz

modeled by Marissa Gill, Ed Winn

layout by Olivia Childress, Nitya Shah

By Max Robles

Throughout time, music and fashion have always closely intertwined as forms of self-expression. While fashion and music are ever-changing with time, we see trends repeat themselves, as fashion and art tend to side toward one certain style. They both instill a sense of individuality and are ways for people to share their beliefs, leading to the idea that the clothing people wear and the music they listen to are signs of the times. Over time, fashion and music change from genre to genre as artists use them to express themselves.

Indiana is home to an evergrowing music scene, filled with local artists who deserve to be highlighted. For example, Ed Winn is an Indianapolis-based rapper whose music and style are truly unique. When speaking about music, Ed Winn made clear he makes it simply for himself. We spoke about popular trends in rap, but he clarified he does not conform to what’s hot, instead focusing on making music he enjoys. Conversing with Ed Winn, I understood how genuine and down-to-earth he really is, telling me he “doesn’t really do this fashion stuff,” but would describe his style as a

“super toned-down Pharrell.” When selecting his wardrobe, he goes for baggy-fitting clothes, allowing for optimal movement during performances. Ed Winn also spoke about his influences from skater fashion and culture. He cited Tyler, The Creator as his biggest inspiration, due to his raw authenticity throughout his career. It’s this authenticity that I also see in Ed Winn, making him not only a great artist, but a great person as well.

While Ed Winn is relatively new to the rap game, fashion and rap have woven together for years. The genre as a whole is solidifying, while subgenres

are establishing themselves with their very own stylistic approaches. Before rappers had collaborations with the biggest names in fashion, rap style had to undergo major evolution.

Many people point to the first hip-hop “look” as Run DMC and LL Cool J’s iconic streetwear styles. These looks included tracksuits, gold jewelry, and Adidas shell toe shoes. Run DMC forever immortalized the shell toe with their hit song “My Adidas.” This song became so iconic that the trio inked a deal with Adidas, achieving the title of the first non-athletes to sign with an activewear brand. This deal paved the way for countless amazing creations by future household names in fashion. Without these artists signing to Adidas, many of our favorite brand and artist collaborations would not have occurred. More importantly, it allowed for companies to give opportunities to artists of color and opened new opportunities for others to succeed in this industry. Without these original pioneers in the music and fashion industry, we could have been deprived of astounding creations

by artists and designers of color.

Musical artists’ fashion tends to vary depending on the music they make, as an appearance to match music has become the norm. Historically, a trend deviating from society is portrayed in a negative light. Bands have become part of our popular culture and there have been many changes to their music and style. From the psychedelic looks of The Jimi Hendrix Experience to Kurt Cobain of Nirvana’s moody riffs and ratty flannels, the images of music groups have fluctuated, solely based on their appearance and music style.

One of the most scrutinized subcultures, punk, hit the scene in the 1970s. The punk movement was a shock to society, due to its members wanting nothing more than to rattle the existing establishment. As punk is considered to be one of the first musical subcultures, no one had ever seen anything like it. The original punk movement was pioneered by The Sex Pistols, who were styled by the late Vivienne Westwood and her then-partner Malcom McLaren. Due to

Westwood’s designs focusing on anarchist nature, she became the ideal mind to have at the helm of this cultural revolution. The Pistols turned out to be the perfect face of the movement, as their lead singer Johnny Rotten said, “Actually, we’re not into music … we’re into chaos.” This sentiment encapsulates the punk trend exactly, as the original punks wanted to create a commotion. Their clothes, along with the music they played, conveyed their feelings of indifference towards society. This indifference led to the public’s decision to make punks the villains.

The original punk trend of the ’70s shows how society’s views of a group may change based on appearance or interests, whether they be fashion or music. We sadly continue to see these tendencies in our current society, with individuals ostracized simply for being unique or of different race. As a society, we must make a change and allow for more inclusivity in the intersection of the fashion and music industries.

MARISSA GILL

ED WINN

PREACHER’S Daughter

Girlhood. What defines it and when do we leave it? Is it when mistakes lose their purity after becoming an “adult” at age 18? It could be at the age of 20, when there’s no longer a “teen-” attached as a blanket of security. Then, there’s the eagerness of getting a place to yourself for the first time in your life. The anticipation of getting to decorate that space with all your knickknacks like you dreamed of as a little girl. The discipline from living under your parent’s roof all those years is ingrained in tendencies like how often your sheets should be washed and which medicine to take for which symptoms.

You’re following the rules. You’re taking care of yourself.

You have grown accustomed to carrying the weight of your fraying emotions. “Don’t get pregnant, get good grades, and don’t do drugs,” your parents say. It sounds so easy, yet there seems to be an expiration date on innocence.

To be a girl is to bring colorful meaning to the mundane of the world, finding beauty in detail and emptiness. A character in The Virgin Suicides, a film by Sofia Coppola adapted from Jeffrey Eugenides’ novel, said, “We knew finally that [the] girls were really women in disguise, that they understood love and even death, and that our job was merely to create noise that seemed to fascinate them.” The movie’s fictional Lisbon sisters are part of a Catholic family living in the

By Myah Garza

suburbs of 1970s Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Their parents restrain the five doomed daughters from much engagement outside of the house, due to the moral logic that their home is the safest place for them and any wrongdoing is the world’s fault, not the girls’. The story is narrated by a group of neighborhood boys whose relation to the girls is fundamentally a fantasy. They are infatuated with the untouchable Lisbon sisters. Looking back at them as adults, the boys speak of “the girls — who died in the full throes of adolescence — with jealousy, as though they were guests who left a party at its peak. Dead girls don’t suffer the unfairness of growing older, don’t see their youth corrode and their memories dim.” This

photographed by Liona Russell head stylists Natalia Kwak, Ava Mikola styled by Jillian Pullen, Grace Suiaung, Calvin Sung modeled by Eliza Henne, Alizza Seddon layout by Olivia Childress

quote conveys the boys’ realization that the sisters were not just female caricatures to admire, which represents the idea that girls are threedimensional individuals with their own struggles. The Virgin Suicides film was not the first time the death of adolescence’s wholesomeness was displayed metaphorically and quite literally through fiction.

Famous poet Sylvia Plath wrote only one novel: The Bell Jar, a fictionalized account of her time in New York and subsequent mental breakdown. She wrote, “ … the best men wanted to be pure for their wives, and even if they weren’t pure, they wanted to be the ones to teach their wives about sex. Of course they would try to persuade a girl to have sex and say they would marry her later but as soon as she gave in, they would lose all respect for her.” One of the many aspects that makes Plath’s novel so compelling is its lingering relevance to today’s society. How do

we stand the idea of a woman having a single pure life and a man being able to have a double life? The novel holds a charming eeriness that uncovers the thoughts of a young woman at her breaking point going through the depths of change. Plath wrote, “Girls are not machines that you put kindness coins into and sex falls out,” and “I desire the things that will destroy me in the end.” Plath herself is an enigma. In 1963, after the initial rejection of The Bell Jar by multiple American publishers, followed by her husband’s betrayal and infidelity, Plath went into her kitchen and stuck her head in the oven. The poet died from carbon monoxide poisoning at the age of 30. She is considered a crude symbol for rebellious and depressed girls, and it remains a question whether she will always be defined by her death.

The overlap of the Lisbon girls being recognized as threedimensional individuals after it’s too late and the representation of Plath as a symbol for rebellious female depression captures the imprisonment of having an active and imaginative mind. As you grow up, you are told to stay true to yourself, to stay pure. However, temptations are around the corner of each milestone. You’re ripped into being alive, into having your own

thoughts, opinions, and values. There is a childlike curiosity that remains as you start to age, no matter how you try to push it down and suppress that feeling. You begin to understand that the face you see in the mirror will continue to change without your permission. You don’t realize you’re in girlhood until you’ve left it. When childhood ends, girlhood begins. But when does this become womanhood — and how do you carry on the lessons you learned from childhood and girlhood into this time of your life?

Watching

Watching

By Lainee Kirk

Femininity REPUTABLE

Femininity REPUTABLE

Intrepid, striking, alluring, enigmatic, and subjectively selfish: the femme fatale. She is mysterious and daunting. She is the eye-catching woman who talks to you in hopes that you’ll fall deeply in her trap. Her motives will lead you deeper in her trap, seducing and damaging men in order for her to achieve a strengthened ego. The “femme fatale” is an age-old trope that has been featured in ancient written texts and film noir alike. Take, for example, the siren: the quintessential symbol of lethal female seduction. First introduced as a half-woman, half-bird creature that accompanied the goddess Persephone in Greek mythology, her portrayal soon evolved into a mermaid whose mesmerizing beauty and songs of love ultimately lured sailors

By Kate Kainz, Eliza McCord

to a grisly death. Alternatively, consider Medusa, the iconic snake-haired subject of another Greek legend, who turned men to stone with just one look into her deadly eyes. Cleopatra also comes to mind, a woman who single-handedly ran her Egyptian empire for two decades and is historically portrayed as a seductress who lured in and destroyed powerful men. Whether that is accurate or not, there’s no doubt that there is a universal fascination with the femme fatale, a figure depicted in different cultures for millenia. She’s an enigma, she’s powerful, and she radiates an illusion of attainability. Hollywood has adored her since the 1930s, when she was put in red lipstick and a silky cocktail dress like Ava Gardner in The Killers. Today’s producers have given

her much more variety in their modern renditions. Nowadays, she may turn up as a maneater in a pink crop top, like Jennifer Check in Jennifer’s Body, or a witch crafting male-targeted spells from her Victorian gothic apartment, like Elaine Parks in The Love Witch.

As society has modernized, so has the ideology behind the femme fatale. Beauty comes in a variety of appearances, but, more importantly, the most beautiful part of any woman is her mind. Every woman has the power to seduce men; however, a true femme fatale knows how to exploit her personal growth. Recent waves of feminism have shifted the tide to draw her dangerous gaze to one that is empowering, daunting, and sexy. The once solely-dangerous women have fixated a society in

which they are now presented more openly and freely.

In modern culture, society shifts away from women set into traditional lifestyles, now opening the doors for women to flourish in their individual beauty. Women are considered to be beautiful, sexy, and empowered for themselves. They aren’t meant to be told what is beautiful –instead, they strive to find their own beauty within themselves. The femme fatale was created in order to allow women equal opportunity, even if they have to take extra steps to obtain those chances. For instance, women are typically forced to abandon their femininity in order to find belonging in a professional setting. The femme fatale is a prime example of how beautiful women are equally capable

express beauty for themselves instead of for a man’s approval. However, the idea of femme fatale is much more complex than being physically beautiful. It goes further than a sculpted physique. Her biggest tool is her mindset. She knows her self worth and how to make sure others know it too. Mastering her tool releases consequences of charisma, but her natural beauty and individuality set her free. She doesn’t chase things she wants; instead, she attracts them. They come running to her, as her confidence blooms around her. This creates an environment where her beauty isn’t just tight clothing, smokey makeup, and smirking smiles — it’s all of her intelligence pleated together to paint her as both the beauty and the brains.

become even more relatable to her female audiences. As a result, she has had a substantial effect on the psyche of today’s young women, even developing into a sort of psychological fixation. Lately, the idea of attaining a “dark feminine” energy has had a chokehold on certain corners of the internet, with countless articles and videos published to guide women on how to unlock this hidden power. However, rather than this mindset being yet another attempt at wrapping a man around her finger like the traditional femme fatale, it is quite the opposite. Women are so used to being placed in the context of male desire — or the “male gaze,” as some like to call it — that it’s something we’ve subconsciously internalized. As a female, it’s incredibly easy to view yourself and other women based

photographed by Mira Carlson head stylists Sophia Newman, Calvin Sung styled by Katie Kinsella, Natalia Kwak, Caitlyn Soegiantoro modeled by Daria Afshar, Liliana Le Pera, Maddie West layout by Jannica Seraypheap, Sophie McSherry

Yes, “dark feminine energy” may be another Gen-Z buzzword to some, but nonetheless, it reveals a lot about the female mind. The media’s recent obsession with the “dark feminine” is women striving to break free from this universal behavior of catering to the male vision — to become a femme fatale, but for themselves. It is women exploring a side of themselves they’ve suppressed and claiming their true needs and desires, letting go of the need for male validation.

Certain famous women are frequently associated with this dark feminine mentality, in terms of

both aesthetics and the way they present themselves. For example, Euphoria star Alexa Demie, model Lily Rose Depp, and Rihanna are all part of a dark feminine look. They each radiate confidence and independence, possessing an attitude and style that many girls wish to achieve. In the fashion world, the idea of the “dark feminine” has especially presented itself through sultry yet powerful smokey eye makeup, knee-high boots, leather jackets, and red dresses. The modern femme fatale dresses for herself, not to seek approval. She is someone every

girl should look up to. Though she may not be out to kill a man like Greek mythology’s sirens, she is out to kill the omnipresent force that pressures women to be objects of sexual desire.

HELL HATH NO FURRY

By Dylan Meyers

Fashion started with fur, as the use of fur clothing has gone on for about 120,000 years. In the beginning, it was a necessity. Now, creatures such as minks, foxes, coyotes, rabbits, and even cats and dogs are made subject to the textile industry for profit. Many have heard of mink clothing, whether through songs from artists such as Future or Drake or celebrities brandishing it on the red carpet. While the fur is quite popular, many

people don’t know what the animal looks like. North Americans specifically don’t often see minks in the wild, as the majority of minks are born into captivity in fur farms throughout the continent. Around 85% of all fur used by the fashion industry comes from these farms.

Minks are traditionally solitary creatures who live in both water and on land, as they have partially webbed feet. They have elongated

bodies with long tails and short legs. Having only been in captivity for a little over a century, they are still essentially wild animals. Captive minks are bred in the winter and birthed in the spring. They are then put into inhumane, adjacent wire cages barely large enough to fit them. Feces travels throughout the cages, the hard wiring damages the minks’ legs, and the cages are major facilitators of disease. Scientists were

able to chart the spread of the coronavirus pandemic through captive minks.

Minks are bred as large as possible in order to maximize the amount of fur they produce. Those selected for killing are put down through a process called asphyxiation, in which they are gassed using carbon dioxide. This is common practice nowadays, though not too long ago, minks were put down through a variety of methods. Anal electrocution, neck breaking, suffocation, and throat slitting were all popular forms of killing. When farmers were less experienced, consciousness was harder to gauge, leading to a large number of minks being skinned alive. For far too long, these amazing creatures have been subject to the worst of humanity.

Over 100 million animals per year are killed for their fur, and 95% of those animals are held in cages their entire lives. Minks are the most commonly used for fur garments, but so many other animals are also victims to fur farm practices. Such unnecessary abuse is

bestowed upon animals, and How did this fur phenomenon come about? Fur has always

pervades our culture today. Certain waves and trends have shaped the modern view of fur. Almost all waves are results of the higher class filtering into the lower,

throughout much of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, setting a precedent for the exclusivity of animal furs that still

The stars of the silver screen also contributed to the modern perspective on fur. The golden age of Hollywood gave way to an increased influence on fashion, especially for women.

photographed by Lydia Norton head stylists Grace Suiaung, Caroline Vegter

styled by Alisha Ahmed, Carmen Cancila, Sophia Newman

modeled by Jocie Horne, Zion Hackson, Sasha Matsuki, Morgan Sanders, Margot Su

layout by Caterina DeSantis, Melanie Roberts

Stars such as Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich, and Lana Turner brandished their fur coats on the red carpet and the streets alike. During this time,

as celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and Mariah Carey continue the trend set forth by early Hollywood stars. The issues of the fur

industry culminated in the Rothschild Surrealist Ball of 1972, one of the most infamous parties of the 1900s. Many considered the Rothschild

and bankers to artists and celebrities, to a party. The invitations described the attire as “black tie, long dresses, and surrealist heads” in backwards copy, only to be read in a mirror. Much of the guest list’s attire was designed by artist Salvador Dalí. MarieHélène wore a giant stag’s

head studded with diamonds, while Audrey Hepburn wore a birdcage. Upon entrance, guests were met with mazes of cobwebs, decor featuring

taxidermied animals and furcovered plates, and servants dressed as cats delivering drinks. The Rothschild party was a peculiar display of nobility demonstrating a higher class ideal of what fur should be used for, allowing the pedestal to be raised that much more. The culture of one-

upmanship that fur created is a prime example of the capitalistic approach towards class. When fur became popular in Europe, the monarchs banned peasants from wearing it. When fur became popular in the United States, the Ivy Leaguers started wearing full-length raccoon coats that were out of the middle and lower classes’ price range. Movie stars wanted others to know their elevated status, so they wore

rarer animals, such as minks. It seems that the popularity of fur has always stemmed from others trying to put themselves on an elevated pedestal over their peers. People wear fur to let others know they’re not on their level.

This idea connects to the “poor” stigma. The stigma against looking “poor” is so severe that many will do anything they can to avoid it. Fur elevates this concept, as there is always a rarer animal’s

fur to be taken or a grander use for it. As a consequence, these once-free, remarkable animals are forced to endure cruel and unusual punishment. Many major brands and designers, such as Gucci, Chanel, and Versace, have made pledges to go fur-free. This is the continuance down the road to take down the fur industry. However slowly diminishing, it’s a battle that requires everyone in the fight to take a stand against fur.